i am also new and dont really know anything

[BaLLsAgNe]

I have 3 USA Jacksons that I am looking to upgrade the pickups in.. Ive heard things about BKs, but I live in the US so I dont really have access to them other than hearing of them unless i order them myself.. two of the guitars are set for 2 humbuckers (RR-1, DK-1) and the other is a Humbucker and 2 singles (SL-1). I guess I am looking for recommendations as to what pickups I should order.. In terms of style I play mostly metal but to be more specific I would say im looking for tone along the lines of Iron Maiden, Helloween, Dream Evil, Hammerfall, Metallica, Iced Earth, Stratovarius etc etc. I dont necessarily need one pickup that does all of those tones relatively good since I have three guitars to work with so for example if there is one pickup better for maiden and helloween and another one thats better for metallica and iced earth thats fine cuz i can put one in each guitar. I guess the only other things i can think of to be specific about is that for the bridge humbuckers clean does mean something to me, and for the singles in my SL-1 i would be looking for something similar to the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (i have those in now and dont really have any complaints).

[Muso]

Hi

I would reccomend a nailbomb, good all round pickup which has a lot of edge and clarity to it.

[indysmith]

definately a nailbomb set and a miracle man set for the humbucker guitars, maybe something a bit lower output for the sl-1? a VHII and 2 irish tour singles perhaps?

[lifted]

Hey, Welcome to the forum!    Wow, You are blessed if you have three to work with!  For a hot single coil I would go for Trilogy Suites.   For One RR, I would put Nailbomb in Bridge AND neck, And one, I would put Miracle man Bridge & VHII in neck.  If you want sabbathy for one of the bridges go Warpig.   But I'm just dreaming :idea:  You do know about the elaborate sound clips in the Players Forum, Right.?   Good Luck

[BaLLsAgNe]

when you say sets that means a nailbomb in the bridge and the neck (as with the miracle man)?? if thats the case what kind of cleans should i expect to get out of those? another off topic question like i said before I live in the US so how much are these actually going to cost me? when it comes to bridge pickups i basically narrowed it down to the Holy Diver, the Nailbomb, the Miracle Man, and the Warpig.. how do they differ in tone (i have to eliminate one of them).. if sabbathy tones explains the warpig i guess that one would be out (not big on their tone)

[_tom_]

I think there are some clips of the cleans of a nailbomb somewhere on the Players forum.

[BaLLsAgNe]

my computers speakers suck and im not sure i would trust those anyway because everyone has a different setup so whoever plays with a certain pickup it would probably sound different (i may be wrong but i guess thats just how i feel about it).. would anyone be able to accurately compare the tones of the 4 bridge pickups i listed above (holy diver, nailbomb, miracle man, warpig).. like what kind of sounds would i get out of each

[lifted]

To clarify,  I was mistaken:  I thought you had two RRs, but you have a DK-1.    For the RR I would do the  Miracle man for Bridge VhII in neck, cuz I have heard alot of good neck solo clips of the VHII and (THink Dave Murray)  and Slash)  and they are beautiful clean as well.    Miracle Mans have tight bass and articulate harmonics. For the DK-1  maybe Nailbomb for both neck and bridge  The Nailbomb definitely sound great metalized, but alot better clean than the Miracleman.  Both will do any metal fine, but I heard some good all clean NB clips and a couple stellar even Allmans/ Skynrd?blues rock tones from the NBs as well.  
     The Warpig is  I actually the hottest and darkest  numetal or death or sabb.  So you sound like maybe not them.I actually think the VHII bridge sounds good for 80s metal tone and brilliant clean,  and almost got one, but I picked a Nailbomb and two Irish tours for an H/s/s strat.   They are in the mail, so I haven't played them, but I think the Nailbombs are very versatile, hot and organic.   The ITs nail the hot Hendrix ,the clean but hot SRV and Dave Gilmour lead tones.  Probably like the EMG SAs but better, of course :P
   THe VHIIs would be brighter, and less hot.  THe Miraclemans nail the Zakk tone and have the tightest bass.   I live in the USA  too, and I always convert pounds to dollars by saying, say ,60 pounds X  1.777 equals  $106 dollars.  America needs to strengthen their dollar, seen!?

[lifted]

A little encouragement to get on someone's better speakered computer and TRUST  the clips.  It will get you so much further in your ballpark.  Listen to all of Tim's clips, which are usually first on the Players page.  Also regarding that organic Nailbomb clip that sold me on moderate gaintone on the first Players page , check out "Vigier Indus Stomp" and for full blown metalness , all of Lepermesah's clips sound great for Nailbomb.  Can you tell I like the Nailbomb?

[BaLLsAgNe]

which of the pickups is heavier (more metal?) the nailbomb or the miracle man?

[lifted]

Well.........  The Miracle Man was named after Zakk Wylde's Tone, and I just found out that The NB was named after Sepultura's Max Cavelera's other band's tone or something like that.  To me upon listening, the Nailbomb seems to have a little more distortion.  MMs might get harmonics a littlebetter, but they are so neck and neck in all of the above, it's just a matter of taste.

[BaLLsAgNe]

would the miracle man be like zakks old tone (ozzy stuff) or like black label society (god i hope not)? also how would the VHII and the holy diver compare in the bridge?

[lifted]

Dunno about the Holy Diver at all cuz Nobody will post  any clips   The VhII has been known to do Iron Maiden type dist.  and Dokken Rythm tones.  The MM to me sounds like it will do ozzy zakk AND BLS zakk, but maybe more of the former, but don't quote me, and I am with you, I am not keen on that tone enough to drop one in my guitars.  THe Main man, Tim Mills is in an ozzy trib band cald Ozzmosis and He nails the song miracleman on page two or three? in the Players forum where it just says "OZZMOSIS",  But I hear he even does some songs with the Mule, which is s'posed to do about any style.  He might use an OD pedal, though.
Tim? Do ya?   Like I said I like my metal, and I almost got the VHII.  Since you have three Guitars, I would definitely consider a Hot PAF HB like it or even the Mule.   They can be driven to the Metal Zone I have another strat copy I'll put a VHII and Trilogy S/S's in and a Les Paul copy I want Mules in.    But I haven't even received my Nailbomb/Irish Tour/Iri! :D sh Tour  set yet, and I can't wait to try out some others.  Like everyone else on this forum  I just want to buy more blank guitars just to put in all the varietys of  BKPs in them.

[BaLLsAgNe]

i think i have a pretty good idea what i want at this point.. its just a matter of what is a heavier pickup between the miracle man and the nailbomb (the heavier one would go in the rhoads and the other would go in the DK1).. I like how a previous post made the VHII sound so i would put that with the miracle man since it apparently doesnt do clean..  how well does a nailbomb in the neck really compliment a nailbomb in the bridge (cuz thats the best suggestion for that i got at this point)? as for my SL1 im not really sure at all. i guess for the bridge it would be a matter of what is more Iron Maiden-like between the Holy Diver and the VHII (unless someone has a better idea) and for the two single slots i would want something along the lines of a Duncan Hot Rail (which would be more like that the trilogy or the irish something or other?) i appreciate all the help i recieved to this point and any more would be awesome

[lifted]

The Nailbomb neck seems to have a smooth  lead tone for solos in the realm of John Petrucci of Dream theatre or even George Lynch, to me. If
you like that for neck solos , then do that.     If you want a little  more of a classic neck sound, I might try the Mules cause they are touted to not get muddy at all.   For the other Singles guitar it really sounds like you should lean toward Trilogies.  I have heard some nice clean tones, and singing lead tones in the neck from them.